All the news from the British Fashion Awards 2008

It was truely a night of laughter and tears at the British Fashion Awards last night.

Winner of the award for Outstanding Achievement in Fashion Design, milliner Stephen Jones, couldn't help but smile all night, while model Jourdan Dunn wept through her acceptance speech for her Model of the Year award. 'I'm so embarrassed. I started crying before I even got up there', she told ELLE backstage last night.

The other big winners included Luella Bartley, who scooped British Designer of the Year, Jimmy Choo's Tamara Mellon who accepted the Award for Designer Brand of the Year and Matthew Williamson who received the award for Red Carpet Designer of the Year.

The event, hosted by the British Fashion Council and Swarovski, also recognises the best in new British design talent. Last night the Swarovski Emerging Talent Award for Accessories was presented to this season's hottest shoe designer, Nicholas Kirkwood, by Claudia Schiffer and Jefferson Hack.

They also presented the Swarovski Emerging Talent Award for design to one of London's brightest rising stars, Louis Goldin.

But of course, last night wasn't just about the awards, it was a night for the British fashion industry's finest to come out and celebrate the start of 25 years of British Fashion. The awards are now entering their 25th year and London Fashion Week is 25 this year, too.

Cue a parade of this season's hottest cocktail dresses, most-wanted accessories, and perfect party shoes.

The biggest party trends last night had to be the feather or furry jacket worn over anything (evening dress, cocktail frock or trousers) plus a pair of sky high statement heels. Preferably YSL pumps or a sculptural shoe-boot from Nicholas Kirkwood - natch!

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